THE VALE COURSE 2026

The VALE Course 2026, a transformational leadership training for 22 rising stars in the nonprofit sector, took place in the early months of the year 2026. This edition, we brought the participants to beautiful winter landscapes in both Czechia and northern Norway.

Thanks to the generous support of Erasmus+ and Youth For Understanding Norway, we're ready to equip a new generation with the vision, resilience, and tools to lead with impact.

The Idea

The VALE Course 2026 was a transformative 3-month leadership journey for 22 international youth workers and change makers navigating the challenges of remote leadership.

The experience included two immersive in-person modules — Module 1 in Czechia and Module 2 in the Arctic surroundings of Northern Norway — interwoven with a one-month virtual challenge-based phase.

Participants deepened their leadership practice, sharpened their skills, and reconnected with the values driving youth work - growing, reflecting, and leading with clarity across borders, screens, and distance.

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Advanced leadership training

- By Youth for Youth

The Timeline

This time, The VALE 2026 took place as two leadership retreat modules in Czechia and Norway.

Confirmation of participation

We selected participants by September 2025 and settled financial matters by October 2025.

Preparatory tasks

To kickstart the course, we engaged participants with preparatory tasks reflecting on ideas of leadership during the month of December 2025 leading up to the first module.

Module 1 // 7-11 JAN 2026

We met in Czechia for an intensive and immersive leadership experience that challenged participants to re-examine the way they see themselves and the world.

Experimential module

To reinforce learnings, we spent the interim time experimenting: trying out newly acquired skills at studies, work, and volunteering commitments.

Module 2 // 23 FEB-1 MAR 2026

We met in Kirkenes, Norway to continue our journey together, gaining valuable insights while experimenting and practicing new skills.

The follow-up period

Becoming a part of the alumni network and following up on individual action plans for continuous learning, including participant-led workshops in their local communities.

The Participants

22 young people ready to level up their leadership skills

The target group of The VALE Course 2026 was young volunteer leaders representing various youth organisations. The course strives to have a diverse applicant pool and a balanced group of participants in terms of gender, background, and experience.

The Team

Meet the Project Team of The VALE Course 2026, all experienced youth workers and leaders in their own right. Amongst the team, all trainers (aged 26-32) are experienced NFE (non-formal education) trainers and facilitators.